My first time using a "shavette" style straight razor

[steven1201]

And man was it rough! My face look chewed up and scraped from every angle, even got a few nicks and weepers. I bought the shavette thinking it would be easier and cheaper to learn on one of these, then I figured I'll move up to a traditional straight razor, but now I'm not too sure... I'm pretty sure my lather was good but I think the problem was my technique. I can use a safety razor with a Feather inside with ease, but the shavette showed no mercy. Anyhow, I was wondering how different is using a shavette from a normal straight?

Any opinions, tips, or advice? All replies are welcome.

 

[SpikedLemon]

Shavettes are unforgiving to say the least.

The best advice that I had difficulties with: no pressure. DO NOT APPLY ANY PRESSURE.
Keep the blade around 30-40 degrees to your face, keep it moving and watch the landing. Some of my common mistakes were clipping myself by using too much pressure and not sticking the landing (leaving me with a cut at the top of my cheek.
... And mind the corners of the blade. They bite.

You'll need to go back to all the lessons you learnt starting DE with the shavette... Don't go over an area of your face without lather and don't apply pressure.

 

[steven1201]

Any tips for going around sharp curves, like the chin/jawline area? I have a thin face so it's a bit tough going around those places; especially near my adam's apple, which I usually just use a safety razor to shave.

 

[rockviper]

Yes.... carefully!

Shavettes are very much less forgiving than a "normal" straight. However, if you hang in there, you'll pick up normal stright shaving very easily when you do get one and, as a super bonus reward for learning to use a shavette, you'll be able to take the shavette on vacation with you and not have to worry about stropping or messing up the edge!

 

[dfoulk]

I don't know what better way to explain it than a straight razor seems to somehow know the difference between stubble and skin while a shavette could care less and cuts everything you put in front of it.

I started that style of shaving with a CJB and a Feather ProGuard blade and after that it was pretty easy to not cut myself with a straight. Shavettes are definitely a bit sharper.

With the CJB every time I used a new blade I was 100% guaranteed to cut myself. Shaves 3 through about 10 on the same blade were excellent and much more forgiving. Looking back I should have just corked the blade and saved myself a lot of leaking on those first few shaves.

 

[TheVez2]

Keep the blade around 30-40 degrees to your face,

30-40???? That's crazy. Especially while learning. You want to keep the blade as parallel to your face as possible, especially if it is a shavette that takes a DE blade. Those are the most unforgiving of the shavettes out there.

 

[steven1201]

30-40???? That's crazy. Especially while learning. You want to keep the blade as parallel to your face as possible, especially if it is a shavette that takes a DE blade. Those are the most unforgiving of the shavettes out there.

Yeah that's the kind I bought. It's fitted with a Wilkinson Sword DE blade right now. That thing is SHARP! My face just feels raw if I'm lucky enough not to cut myself, and stinging pain if I do happen to cut myself; It's almost like a lose/lose situation. I've been using a sharp angle probably about 30-40, but I have been applying a little bit of pressure, which I now know is a big no-no. One thing my shavette's taught me is to 'Always respect your razor'.

 

[jKyro]

I always lay it flat and lift it just until the blade is touching and the actual shavette isn't. No pressure. I also don't use feathers in it. Too sharp. I drop down to a Gillette 7 o'clock yellow or personna blue

 

[dfoulk]

Maybe try corking the blade (running it through a cork to dullen it a bit) until you get used to it. At first you'll be figuring out angles and it's really easy to misjudge and cut yourself. Having a slightly duller blade in there would probably help you out by making it slightly more forgiving.

Use a much wetter lather as well to keep the blade from sticking to your face and watch the pressure and angle closely.

 

[SpikedLemon]

30-40???? That's crazy. Especially while learning. You want to keep the blade as parallel to your face as possible, especially if it is a shavette that takes a DE blade. Those are the most unforgiving of the shavettes out there.

Fair, starting flatter will help reduce injury. Though I did not find optimal shaving until I drastically increased the angles.

 

[steven1201]

I shaved with it again after my shower and I actually didn't cut myself except for a small pimple on my upper lip. My face still felt a bit scraped but after a cold splash and my aftershave, it felt better. Not applying any pressure helped my shave a lot, eventhough I had to go over a few spots. I tried playing with the angles and when I held it as parallel as I can, it wasn't as efficient cutting-wise, but it felt a lot better as opposed to the 30-40 degree angle, which cut better, but was a lot less forgiving on my skin. I couldn't find a cork so I guess I'll steal one the next time someone in the house opens a wine bottle.

 

[feltspanky]

The shavette shows no mercy. Will cut what ever is in its path. My advice, slow down your shaving strokes, very light pressure, there's DE no pressure pulling on a razor blade and there's S.R. shaving using no pressure. Don't give up and soon the light bulb will come on for you. I can see a real S.R. for you in the Not To Distant Future. Good Luck

 

[SpikedLemon]

Once you're in a couple more shaves: try out a few different blades. I do find quite a difference between the blades.

 

[steven1201]

Would duller be better? I have a couple of Feathers, Derbys, Wilkinson Swords, and Dorcos. The Dorcos are the dullest of the bunch IMO.

 

[BSAGuy]

Good luck. Let us know how this turns out.

 

[steven1201]

Good luck. Let us know how this turns out.

Will do! I'll try switching out the blades later and see how it changes my shave.

 

[SpikedLemon]

I don't like derby blades. I don't like them in the shavette or DE.

I have good results with Astras (SS &SP), Bluebirds, Feathers. So a bit of a mixed bag.

I like the 7oclock SS (Russian green) in my DE but not so much in the shavette.

It's really a YMMV here.

I can, especially on feather, tell the blade is much thinner (flexible) than others (like Astra)

 

[Shave_Rat]

I hate Dorco in a DE, but the blades they make for the Feather AC/CJB systems work great for me. Makes me wonder if the DE blades would be decent in a shavette...

 

[steven1201]

I don't like derby blades. I don't like them in the shavette or DE.

I have good results with Astras (SS &SP), Bluebirds, Feathers. So a bit of a mixed bag.

I like the 7oclock SS (Russian green) in my DE but not so much in the shavette.

It's really a YMMV here.

I can, especially on feather, tell the blade is much thinner (flexible) than others (like Astra)

I've never used any of the blades you posted, except for the feathers, which I think are nice. Definitely won't use those for my shavette though! I don't want the bathroom to end up looking like a butcher shop

I hate Dorco in a DE, but the blades they make for the Feather AC/CJB systems work great for me. Makes me wonder if the DE blades would be decent in a shavette...

I'll tell you guys how it works out for me. I switched out the Wilkinson Sword with a Dorco on my shavette. I don't like those in a DE either, they seem to tug more than any of my other blades so that's why I bought the Derbys, which work a lot better for me.

 

[steven1201]

UPDATE: Okay so I think this is my 5th time shaving with my shavette since I got it, and like I said before, I switched out my Sword for a Dorco to see how it would turn out... It started out pretty good, less scraping and smoother gliding than the Sword, but then I got careless and paused with the shavette at a steep angle against my upper lip (like 70-80 degrees, steep). Then... ... ... ...Instantly, without even moving the blade there was a good inch-long cut that took 2 applications of my styptic pen to stop bleeding. After that incident, I finished up with my DE that I had lying on the side, a cold splash of water, a full face-rub of styptic, and some aftershave. I was so close to quitting on my shavette, but I just can't. I must conquer the beast! I think I'm going to stick with my Safety until this thing on my lip heals up and then I'll give it another try. Not looking forward to shaving with it again, especially since I hurt myself every time I use it. Maybe I should just get a straight razor instead...